Process for preparing 1-hydroxyalkyl-phosphine oxides



United States Patent 3,109,799 PROCEES FOR PREPARlNG l-HYDROXYALKYL- PHGSPHENE OXEDES Michael Ranhut, Norwalls, and Andrew M. Semsel, Stamford, tlonm, assignors to American Cyanamid Company, Stamford, Conn, a corporation of Maine N0 Drawing. Filed .luly 20, 1962, Ser. No. 211,411

. 2 Claims. (Ci. 260606.5)

RMX

wherein R is alkyl having from 1 to 12 carbon atoms, fiuoro'substituted alkyl having from 1 to 12 carbon atoms, cycloalkyl, aryl, and substituted aryl. Typical substituents for aryl are trifiuoromet hyl, halogen, lower alkoxy, lower alkyl, and like inert substituents. M represents, lithium, magnesium and sodium. X is halogen and n represents 0 or 1.

The product from the reaction of elemental phosphorus and an organometallic compound is then reacted, according to the present invention, with benzaldehyde, substituted benzaldehyde, or an alkyl aldehyde having from 1 to 12 carbon atoms. Typical substituents for benzaldehyde are halogen, lower alkoxy and similar inert substituents. This step of the reaction contemplated herein is likewise best carried out in the presence of an inert organic solvent, such as an ether.

The product from this second step is then hydrolyzed with water or, preferably, a dilute aqueous acid to produce the final product of the present invention, alpha-hydroxysubstituted tertiary phosphine oxide of the formula in which R is phenyl, substituted phenyl or alkyl (C Typical substituted or unsubstituted, mono-and di-nuclear aryl lithium, magnesium and sodium compounds, substituted or unsubstituted, alkyl (C -C lithium, magnesium and sodium compounds, and cycloalkyl lithium, magnesium and sodium compounds within the purview of the instant invention are: n-butyllithium, n-butylmagnesium bromide, n-butylmagnesium chloride, methy-lmagnesium iodide, pentylsodium, methylmagnesium chloride, 1- naphthyllithium, 3-(trifluoromethyl)phenyllithium, 4 -fluorophenyllithium, 4 methoxyphenyllithium, octylmagnesium bromide, heptyllithium, hexylmagnesium bromide, cyclohexyllithium, n dodecylli-thium, heptafiuoropropyllithium, 6-methoxy-Z-naphthyllithium, n-propyillithium, 4- tolyllithium, 4-chloropl1enyllithium, and the like.

Obviously, from the above list of organometallic compounds, the metallic moiety may or may not be halogenated. Like-wise, the organic moiety may or may not be substituted. Typical substituents for the organic moiety are adding the latter to the slurry.

3,100,799 Patented Aug. 13, 1953 those which under the conditions of the reaction contemplated herein are inert: halogen, such as fluorine and the like, lower alkoxy, such as methoxy, ethoxy, propoxy and butoxy, and like substituents.

The elemental phosphorus reactant may be employed, as indicated hereinabove, as a finely-divided white phosphorus. However, elemental phosphorus in a different physical state, such as molten phosphorus or phosphorus i-n-the form of chunks, or other similar fractions, may be employed.

As indicated above, the first two steps of the reaction contemplated herein are preferably carried out in the presence of an inert organic solvent, i.e. a solvent which under the conditions of the reaction does not react to any substantial degree with the reactants. Typical inert solvents are ethers, aromatic hydrocarbons, and the like, such as the following: tetrahydrofuran, diethylether, benzene, toluene, Xylene, dimethoxyet-hane, diethylether of diethyleneglycol, dioxane. In addition, aliphatic and cycloaliphatic hydrocarbon solvents are within the purview of the instant discovery, such as, pentane, decane, cyclopentane, and the like.

Very good results are obtained, as will be seen hereinafter, by establishing a slurry of finely-divided white phosphorus in the inert organic solvent and a solution of oganometallic reactant in a similar inert organic solvent and It has been found, however, that direct admixture of elemental phosphorus with a solution of the organometallic reactant may be employed with satisfactory results.

As to the ratio of reactants generally employed, usually at least 0.5:1 but generally not more than about 2: 1, onganometallic reactant to phosphorus atom, is employed.

At least a stoichiometric amount of the aldehyde reactant, relative to the organometallic reactant, is generally employed. Less than this stoichiometric amount or a substantinl excess of the aldehyde may be used, however, without altering the nature of the reaction. The ratio is not critical but it should be practical.

Hydrolysis of the reaction mixture resulting from the first step of the process contemplated herein is carried out by conventional means using water or dilute mineral acid, such as dilute HCl, H etc., and the resulting products are isolated byprecipitation with a suitable solvent, such as an ether, or by distillation under reduced pressure or in an inert atmosphere.

In addition, other aqueous acids, such as acetic acid, formic acid, propionic acid, trifiuoroacetic acid, and like, may be used in lieu of an aqueous mineral acid.

The three-step process of the present invention may be carried out at atmospheric, sub-atmospheric or super-atmospheric pressure. Batch, continuous or semi-continuous conditions may be employed.

The reactions of the present invention *are best carried out at a temperature in the range of 0 C. to C., preferably 20 C. to 75 C., as will be evident from the illustrative examples infra.

The alpha-hydroxy-sub stituted tertiary phosphine oxides of the present invention have direct utility as gasoline additives. F or example, up to about 10 milliliters of any one of these tertiary phosphine oxides, when dissolved in one gallon of gasoline, affords protection against misfiring, surface ignition, and the like.

The present invention will best be understood from the following examples which are merely illustrative and not intended to unduly limit the scope of the present invention:

EXAMPLE I Bis(alpha-hydr0xybenzyl) phenylphosphine Oxide White phosphorus (7.8 grams, 0.25 gram atom) is combined with a solution of 0.5 mole of phenyllithiurn moderately exothermic, and the mixture refiuxes gently;

Near the end of the addition the color changes trom dark except as shown in the table. When the product, unlike that of Example I, is water soluble, recovery thereof from the aqueous phase is accomplished by evaporation of the aqueous phase to dryness and subsequent extraction with methanol. While methanol is used in these examples, it

7 will be obvious to the skilled chemist that other suitable solvents may be employed, including other. alloanols.

. allowed to stand at C. overnight. The solution de-' l posits a crystalline solid, which is collected to obtain 10.2

grams (12%) of bis(oi-hydroxybenzyl)phenylphosphine oxide, melting point 186" C.l87 C.

EXAMPLES II-XXVII in the following table further examples are given, which examples are carried out essentially as in Example I, above,

Table I v Molar O OH Example Temp. Ratio Solvent Temp. Molar Ratio ll II No. P +RMX. +RGHO /+HgO- R -OHR 7 o. RMX,,:P o 'RCliOzRMXn II P n-Butyllithium... 0 0.5:1 (0211920..-- Benzaldchyde- 0 1:1 Bis(a-hydroxybeuzyl)nbutylphosphine oxide. III P n-Butylmagne- 65 2:1 'IHF p-Chloroben- 65 1:1 Bis(a-hydroxy-4-ch1orosium bromide. zaldehyde. berilzybmbutylphosphine 0x1 e. IV P n-Butylmagne- 35 1.5Z1(O2H5)20 p-Propylben- 35 1 1 Bis(a-hydroxy-4-propylsium chloride. zaldehyde. befiizynmbutylphosphine ox e. V P Methylmag'ue- 1:1(C2H5)20. Butanal 15 2:1 Bis(m-hydroxybutyl)methsium iodide. yiphosphine oxide. VI P Pentylsodium.... 5 1:1 Pentane Aeetaldehyde. 5 1:1 Bis(a-hydroxyethy1)-peutylphosphine oxide. VII.... P Deeylsodium 10 1 5 1 Decane Dodeeanal.--. 10 1:1 Bis(a-hydroxy1dodeeyl)- deeylphosphine oxide. VIII P l-naphth llith- 35 1:1 (CzH5)2O. Pentanal 35 08:1 Bis(a-hydroxypenty1)-1- ium. naphthylphospine oxide. IX P 3-(trifiuorometh- 35 1Z1(C2 b)- p-Ethoxyben- 35 1:1 Bis(a-hydroxy-4-eth0xyyl)phenyllithzaldehyde. benzyD-B-(trifluoromethyl) ium. phenyiphosphine oxide. X P 4-iiuoropheny1- 35 1:1 (031 1920.... Hexanal 35 1 1 Bism-hydroxyhexyD-ilithium. flutrophenylphosphine 0x1 e. XI P 4-methoxypheny1- 35 1:1 (0211920.... Benzalde- 35 1 1 Bis(a-l1ydroxybenzyl)-4- lithium. hyde. metihoxyphenylphosphine 0X1 8. XII..- P Octylmagnesium 35 1.5:1 (CzHmOm- Meta-methox- 35' 1:1 Bis(a-hydroxy-3-methoxybromide. ybenzaldebenyzDoctylphosphine hyde. oxide. XIII..-. P Hepty1lithium 35 1:1(O2H5)20.... Formalde- 35 1 1 Bis(hydroxymethy1) heptylhyde. phenylphosphine oxide. XIV P Phenylmagne- 102 1:1(C4H9)z0 Benzalde- 102 1 l BiS(ahydIOXyb811Zy1)- sium bromide. hyde. phenylphosphine oxide. XV P Cyclohexyllith- 35 3:1 (CzHi)2O p-Bromoben- 35 1:1 Bis(a-hydroxy-4-bromoium. zaldehyde. benzybeyelohexylphos phine oxide. XVI.- P n-Dodecyllithium 21 1:1 (0111020--. p-Iodobenzal- 21 1:1 Bis(ahydroxy-4-iodoben-- dehyde. zyl)n-dodeey1phosphiue o. e. XVII P Heptafluoropro- 17 1:1(C2H5)20.. Undecanal. 17 1:1 Bis(a-hydroxyundeeyl)- pyliithium. I heptafluoropropylphosphine oxide. XVIII--. P fi-methoxy-Z- '34 1:1((3zH)zO Benzal 34 l 1 Bis(a-hydroxybenzyl)-6- naphthyllithhyde methoxy-Z-naphthylphos- V .ium. Q phine oxide.

XIX-- P n-Propyliithium 18 1:1 (0213920-... p-Oh1oroben- 18 1:1 Bis(a-hydroxy-4-cho1robenzaldehyde. zyRin-propylphosphine ox e. XX. P 4-to1yl1ithium- 12 1:1 (0211020.... o-Butoxy- 12 2 1 Bis(a-hydroxy-2-butoxy benzaldebenzy1)4-toly1phosphine hyde. oxide. XXL--. P -ohloro'pheynl- 0 2:1 (C2H5)z0 Aeetaldehyde 0 1:1 Bis(a-hydroxyethyl)-4- lithium. clggrophenylphosphino o e.

XXII--- P Pheny1sodium 20' 1:1 Benzene Formalde- 20 1:1 Bis(hydroxymethyl) phenyi y e. phosphine oxide. XXIIL- P 2-(triehloromethl5 0.5I1(C2H5)20 Benzaldehyde. 15 1:1 Bis(a-hydroxybenzyl)-2- y1)phenylmag- (triohloromethyl)-phe11ylnesium chloride. phosphiue oxide. XXIV... P Cyelopentylso- 0 1:1 Cyelop'en p-Ethoxy- 0 1:1 Bis(a-hydroxy-4-ethoxydium. tane. benzaldebenzyDeyelopentylphOshyde phine oxide. XXV.. P 4-to1y1magnesium -1:1 (CzH5)zO Benzaldehyde- 25 7 1:1 Bis(a-hydroxybenzy1)4- iodide. tolylphosphiue oxide. XXVI... P Phenyliithium- 1:1(C H5) O Hexanal 30 1:1 Bisa-h%gf1oxyheixyl)phenylp osp eoxi e. XXVIL. P 3-ethylpheny1- 1:1 TH]? Heptanal 65 1:1 Bis(a-hydroxyheptyl)3- magnesium ethylphenylphosphine bromide. oxide.

* Tetrahydroiuron.

red to yellow. The mixture 18 stirred one additional hour We claim:

1. A method which comprises bringing into reactive 65 contact, in the presence of an inert organic solvent, elereacting the resulting reaction product with an aldehyde of the formula RCHO, and hydrolyzing the reaction product of the second step, thus producing alpha hydroxysubstituted tertiary phosphine oxide of the formula 5 R in the above fonmulae representing a member selected from the group consisting of alkyl having from 1 to 12 carbon atoms, flu0ro-substituted alkyl having from 1 to 12 carbon atoms, cycloalkyl, aryl, and substituted aryl, said substituents for aryl being selected from the group consisting of Miluoromethyl, fluoro, chloro, lower alkyl,

and lower alkoxy; R is a member selected from the group consisting of phenyl, substituted phenyl, and alkyl having from 1 to 11 carbon atoms, said substituents for phenyl 6 being selected from the group consisting oi halogen and lower lalkoxy; M represents a member selected from the group consisting of lithium, magnesium and sodium; X is halogen; and n is selected from 0 and 1.

2. The process of claim 1 wherein the organo-metallic reactant is phenyllithium, ether is the solvent, the aldehyde is benzaldehyde and the product is bis(a-1phahydroxybenzyl)phenylphosphine oxide.

No references cited. 

1. METHOD WHICH COMPRISES BRINGING INTO REACTIVE CONTACT, IN THE PRESENCE OF AN INERT ORGANIC SOLVENT, ELEMENTAL PHOSPHORUS AND AN ORGANOMETALLIC COMPOUND OF THE FORMULA 